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Tulsa Union's big, tall duo of pass catchers — who committed to Oklahoma exactly a month apart from one another this summer — harbored hoops dreams long before the gridiron became their clearest path to big-time college athletics.

TULSA UNION / PLAYOFFS: Union's Jeffery Mead tries to make a catch as Santa Fe's Trevan Smith defends during the high school football game between Edmond Santa Fe and Union at Wantland Stadium in Edmond, Okla., Friday, Nov. 16, 2012. Photo by Sarah Phipps, The Oklahoman

“We looked like we were gonna go play D-1 basketball, but now it's changed to football,” Mead said.

Yes, the big, tall duo of pass catchers — who committed to Oklahoma exactly a month apart from one another this summer — harbored hoops dreams long before the gridiron became their clearest path to big-time college athletics.

That's not to say Mead and Meier aren't still enormously skilled basketball players. As juniors, the forwards were the top two scorers on Union's state-tournament team and have no plans of skipping their senior basketball seasons, even though football is their future.

“Jeff and Carson both have grown up thinking they're basketball players,” said Union football coach Kirk Fridrich. “I think as they've gotten older, their skill sets in football have given them new opportunities.”

Meier, a 6-foot-7 tight end, committed to Oklahoma on May 22. Mead, a 6-6 wide receiver, followed with his commitment June 22.

Mead said growing up, he and Meier actually played against each other on the hardwood.

“I played for the Titans and he played for the Wildcats,” Mead said. “Then I ended up going to the Wildcats and playing with him in about seventh grade.”

It was around that time their close friendship began to form. After they graduate next spring, they plan to room together at OU.

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by Jason Kersey

OU Sports Reporter

Jason Kersey became The Oklahoman's OU football beat writer in May 2012 after a year covering high school sports and OSU recruiting. Before joining the newspaper in November 2006 as a part-time results clerk, he covered high school football for...